Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-06-27

BUYING OUT ITS WARDS.
Work of the Indian Commission in Treat
Ing With Reservation Tribes.


Ing With Reservation Tribes.
Copyright. 1887, by the California Associated Press
WASHINGTON, j June 26th.-[Special. THE
Northwestern Indian Commission, which
has finished its work and has been engaged
in this city during the past two weeks in
completing its report, is ready to lay that
document before the Commissioner of In
dian Affairs. The Commission has already
made its report of its negotiations with
the Chippewas, OF Minnesota, the AFRICA
kaws and Mandans on the Fort Berthold
reservation, and the various tribes on the
great Blackfoot reservation in Montana.
In this final report it deals with its negotia-
tions with the CGur d 'Alenes, Spokanes,
Flatheads and the Boisfortes of Minnesota,
with which latter tribes the Commission
closed its work. The Commission had its
first meeting in ST. Paul in August last, and
at the present time have been engaged in
negotiations with the Indians of the North
west preparing for the allotments of lands
in severalty and the reduction Of reserva-
tions. The members travelled and worked
through Montana last winter Despite the
severity of the weather and the great depth
Of the snow, they visited in all thirty-one
bands of Indians in Minnesota, Dakota.
Montana, Idaho and Washington Territory.
They travelled over 1000 miles by rail.
Five hundred miles was made in road
wagons, and over one hundred by stream
and lake, in frail birch-bark canoes, pro-
PEELED by Indians. They travelled 1,500
miles in open sleighs last winter, with the
thermometer ranging from 30o to 60o below
zero. Of the thirty-one bands treated with,
the Commission failed to secure agreements
with but four The first negotiations of the
Commission after leaving the Blackfoot
agencies were with the Spokanes. They
first tried to arrange with the two leading
Chiefs of the tribe, Spokane Jerry and
Louis Welsho, but as the band of
which one is the leader were Protest
ants and the band of the other
Catholics, it was found very difficnlt to
harmonize them sufficiently TO secure a
council. A council was finally fixed for
Fort Spokane, but as the Indians are very
poor and ignorant, it was found hard to
notify them or get them to attend the
council. There are less than 400 Indians
of the Spokane bands, all told and, as
their lands are of poor quality, they spend
most of their time hanging around the
town of Spokane Falls, picking up scanty
living OF getting drunk. The Commission
found in all its travels none so low as the
Spokanes. Before they would agree to
removal ito the Coeur d'Alene reservation
should reimburse them for their lost lands.
Negotiations with them were hard, because
the Chiefs preferred drinking whisky
around town to securing a reservation.
Then they wanted separate reservation,
and the Commission could go no further
without telegraphing to Washington, sub
mitting their proposition. The President
replied, refusing to lay off another reserva-
ton, and finally, through the Intervention
of the Catholic missionary to the Spokanes,
in whom they have the utmost faith, an
agreement was arrived at. BY this the
Spokanes cede to the Government
all right and title to their
lost lands, about two million acres
in Idaho and Washington TERRITORY
Within the boundaries of this land are the
great Spokane Falls, which the town of
that name has utilized for water works.
The right to these lands has ALWAYS been
clouded by non extinguished Indian
title, and the Commission considered il of
the utmost importance that the title should
be extinguished. The Indians are to be
removed to the C9ur d'Alene reservation,
and the expense of removal will be about
S95, 900. In addition to this the four old
chiefs are to have annuities of 500.
The Commissioners then went to the
Ceur d'Alene and opened negotiations
was concluded with them at the De Smet
Mission, March 26th, by which the Indians
cede to the Government all the lands they
possess, except those lying within the
boundaries of the present reservation
The lands to which the Indian title will be
extinguished comprises about four million
acres in the best part of Washington Ter
ritory, and through which the North
ern Pacific runs. For this relinquish-
ment the Indians are to have $780,
900, payable $4,000 the first year, and
$4,000 per year for fifteen years
to come. The money is to be expended
for mills, machinery, etc., but in case it
shall not be needed is to go to the In
dians in cash, pro rata. An arrangement
was also made by which the Coeur 'dAlenes
reservation. The Calispel Indians Tor
Lower Pen d'Oreilles) were also visited
and the Commission held council with
them at Sand Point Idaho Territory. An
agreement was made with these Indians
that they should be removed to the Jocko
reservation, and properly supplied with tools
and land From Sand Point the Commission
went to the Fiathead Agency, where they
were sefenaded on the night of their arri-
val by band composed of Indian bovs
from eleven to eighteen years of age. An
agreement was easily made with the con-
federated tribes of Fiatheads, Pen d'Oreilles
and Kootenais by which the Government
was allowed to place the Calispels and
such Spokanes as desired to move upon
the Jocko and Flathead reservation.
The Commission then went to Mime.
sofa, where they entered into negotiations
with the Boisforte and other scattered bands
of Chippewa Indians, looking to their re-
nlOval IN the White Earth resarvatiop ~,